Reader Reviews

Nightstand Book Reviews attracts readers with a wide variety of interests. On occasion, the subscribers share names of favorite titles/series with me and now, I can share those suggestions with you. 🙂

If you'd like to participate, become a subscriber and email me with your suggestion(s).

February, 2014 Reader Recommendations:

The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd. T. DeLuca says, "I was fascinated by the story of these two abolitionist sisters (Angelina and Sarah Grimke) from Charleston, SC, who also fought for women's rights. Loved the book."

The Gabriel Allon series, by Daniel Silva. J. Shrensky says, "Start at the first book and read them all!" My review of The English Girl, the 13th in the series, can be read here.

April, 2014

Fair Blows the Wind, by Louis L'Amour. J. W. Tucker really likes the writing in L'Amour's series of books set in the Old West.

May, 2014

Loving Someone Who Has Dementia – How to Find Hope while Coping with Stress and Grief, by Pauline Boss. This has been, and continues to be, a valuable tool for one of our readers who is dealing with this issue.

A Rumor of War, the riveting true story of Philip Caputo's experience in Viet Nam, recommended by David Wharton and Lorraine L. Lapin.

The Things They Carried, an award-winning Viet Nam book by Tim O'Brien, recommended by Jeanne D. Henderson and Lorraine L. Lapin.

The Whip, by Karen Kondazian. Joan Tunbridge says that it is a quick read because you won't want to stop.

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, a WWII story of survival and resilience, recommended by Debbie Christmann. My review can be read here.

War Brides, by Helen Bryan. A touching tale of five women in an English WWII neighborhood, recommended by Mary Melvin.

June, 2014

J. Keil highly recommends the mystery series written by Canadian Louise Penny, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Quebec. The books have won numerous awards. R. Antley says, "It's my favorite mystery series of all time." My review of #9 in the series, How the Light Gets In, can be read here.

T. DeLuca enjoyed the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series written by Charles Todd (pen name for mother and son writing team), set in the post WW1 time period. A title in their Bess Crawford series, A Question of Honor, won the 2013 Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.

P. Bee read Nadia Hashimi's, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, and recommends it because of its interesting look at women in Afghanistan during two different centuries.

November, 2014

T. DeLuca just finished Jennifer Haigh's, Faith. She reports: "Good book, excellent writer." DeLuca has been focusing on North Carolina writers and also recommends Jason Mott's, The Wonder of It All, and Anne Hite's, The Ghost on Black Mountain.

February, March, 2015 Reader Recommendations:

T. DeLuca read North Carolina resident Diane Chamberlain's, "Silent Sister." Chamberlain set this mystery about a young woman and her dead sister in New Bern, North Carolina. DeLuca says, "It was a good story and held my attention."

She also reports that William Landay's "Defending Jacob," is an excellent read for those that enjoy legal thrillers/mysteries. *Note from Patti: It won awards the year it was published (2012) and was a NYT bestseller.

Jane Keil enjoyed "Once We Were Brothers" by Ronald Balson, the story of two brothers that find themselves on opposite sides of the Holocaust.

October, 2015 Reader Recommendation:

Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn.
Well written and well plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on “who did it” until the very end….

Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn.
Well written and well plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on “who did it” until the very end….

Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn.
Well written and well plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on “who did it” until the very end….

Lin Casteel Butler recommends Elaine Viets, "Dog Gone Murder." She says, "Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn. Well written and well-plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on 'who did it' until the very end."

Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn.
Well written and well plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on “who did it” until the very end….Entertaining

Entertaining! Quirky characters and interesting mother-daughter interactions. Plot twists at every turn.
Well written and well plotted mystery. Keeps you changing your mind on “who did it” until the very end….

Jane Keil has enjoyed "The Secret Life of Bees" and "The Invention of Wings," by Sue Monk Kidd. Must reads!

July, 2016 Reader Recommendation:

Toni DeLuca highly recommends "What She Knew," by Gilly Macmillan. A child is abducted from the park right while his mother is there. Lots of suspects, great mystery. Toni couldn't put it down and read it in one day. Read my review here.

October, 2016 Reader Recommendation:

Sue Davis is reading this with her book club and is sure the cooks among us will really like it: "Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes" by Shauna Niequist.

November, 2016 Reader Recommendations:

Pat Bee read Bruce Springsteen's autobiography, "Born to Run," and enjoyed it. "He had quite a life and a nutty childhood."

J. Keil has been enjoying "Seizure," a YA novel by Kathy Reichs and co-authored with her son, Brendan Reichs. "Seizure" is the second of nine in the Virals series.

January, 2017 Reader Recommendation:

L. Jennings gave 5 stars to Jenny Blackhurst's "Before I Let You In," a psychological thriller.

March, 2017 Reader Recommendation:

L. Casteel-Butler read Dani Pettrey's "Silenced," a book she won in an NBR drawing. Here's what she had to say:"Wow! This book was quite a good book to read. This was my first read by this author, but it will not be my last. The characters and storyline were developed and I didn’t feel overwhelmed or lost. Rock climbing can be a family affair or just a way to escape reality. The McKenna family are close and yet diversified. Where can new loves and relationships fit in? Especially if there is baggage as well. Must read!"

June, 2017 Reader Recommendation:

B. Smith said that "Behind Closed Doors," by B.A. Paris, is a 'get in your head' type of thriller. Smith enjoys Paris' books quite a bit, and mentioned there is another one coming out in July, called "Breakdown."

July, 2017 Reader Recommendations

T. DeLuca has discovered two detective series that she really enjoys:
1) Donna Leon's Detective Guido Brunetti's series, set in Italy.
2) Sarah Rayne's series stars an English professor with a cat and an antique dealer as a cohort, and features ghost investigations. "Property of a Lady" is one of the books in the series.

November, 2017 Reader Recommendations

L. Jennings discovered that James Patterson authored "Suzanne's Diary," and "Sam's Letters to Jennifer." She gives 5-stars to both!

E. Melvin was truly inspired by Erwin McManus' "The Last Arrow." Melvin explains that the book reveals that we have so much more to give before we leave this earth.

March, 2018 Reader Recommendations

T. DeLuca enjoyed both NYT bestsellers, "The Woman in the Window," by AJ Finn, and Celeste Ng's "Littel Fires Everywhere."